Sermon
2nd September 2018
Text:
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 – Traditions or stumbling blocks.
One
of the first things that I have done in my 3 parishes that I have served in is
spent some time learning the traditions of each congregation.
The
reason I have done this is because of my understanding – this is your
congregation and parish not mine.
And
so I have wanted to serve you and the best way to do that is to find out what
makes you who you are.
And
usually that is the traditions you keep and hold as valuable.
That’s
not to say that nothing will change but change has to come for the good of the
congregation and parish and not so I can have my way.
One
of the more difficult occasions was when I was called to serve the Frankston
Parish and facilitate a joint worship with the Uniting Church and Lutheran
Church.
I
knew there would be differences in some of the theological understandings but
my first objective was to make both churches feel that this was their service.
So
I found out traditions that identified them and not their theological positions.
The
Uniting Church liked to begin the service with the Minister being led in to a
hymn with one of the children carrying the altar bible ahead of him.
So
we did that and immediately the Uniting Church members identified with the
service.
The
Lutherans wanted to stand for the Gospel reading and sit for the hymns.
The
Uniting wanted to sit for just about everything but stand for the hymns.
So
we stood for the Gospel and the hymns.
They
were traditions that looked rather minor to the onlooker but they identified
who they were.
But
sometimes traditions are challenged or even forced to change.
For
example, when forming a parish there may needed to be some change.
Original
Church times might conflict so there needs to be some compromise – one congregation
may even feel it’s to their detriment.
The
Church with the earlier time may need to forgo precious time catching up with
the Pastor ..
One
congregation has to accept that the Pastor may not live or have an office in
their locality.
So
there are some traditions that by necessity are needed to change for the
greater good.
Congregations
will always face challenges when change becomes a necessity and we try to hang to
the way things have always been.
Congregations
have a huge challenge in encouraging young families to regularly attend.
The
budget is always a worrying challenge.
But
sometimes we need to see past these and see the blessings that are there.
As
a parish there are now 2 or more service times
As
a parish you may increase your musical talents.
In
my parish we now have a contemporary service every week, alternating at each
venue.
We
have a traditional service every week also.
We
can now do more things because we have more people to work together with.
As
a parish we have 3 bible studies.
As
a parish we have a monthly youth program.
But
to have these we needed to let go of some traditions and see each other as one
church working together in 2 different locations – not US and THEM..
That’s
holding on to human traditions.
In
letting go of human traditions there is sometimes a sacrifice we have to make.
But
the blessings that emerge outweigh the sacrifice and they create new and better
traditions.
But
it is just as easy to dismantle the blessings.
For
Jesus it was a simple criticism about his disciples not washing their hands.
Jesus
saw this as a threat to blocking the gospel by putting a human tradition in its
way.
It
wasn’t the action that was concerning to Jesus but what was in the heart that
prompted that human tradition.
As
he says:
'This
people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; (Mark 7:6)
Sometimes
it can be the little things that prevent the blessings from flowing from God.
The
things that we say that don’t really reflect the unity that God has established
in our parish as the body of Christ.
Words
and actions that keep us as 2 bodies rather than one body working in 2 places.
Yes
there may be some sacrifices by both congregations but the blessings that have
come down from God will be amazing.
And
they will continue to flourish while we keep putting God’s will ahead of our
own human traditions.
Traditions
are good.
They
identify who we are.
But
when they stop identifying us as the body of Christ and letting the love of God
flow through us then they are no longer divine but purely human traditions that
turns the Christian faith into a worthless religion that only looks after
itself.
That’s
not what we want see here in our congregations or on our LCA and for that we
thank God from whom every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, has
come from above, coming down to bless us.